82-year-old weightlifter strikes gold again

Strong in mind and body: Ng showing off his medal at the press conference in Komtar.

GEORGE TOWN: Retired soldier Ng Chow Seng has won his sixth gold medal in weightlifting at the age of 82.

The grandfather of six from Bukit Mertajam proved his strength at the 2017 World Masters Games in Auckland, New Zealand, in the 80-84 age category on April 22.

He lifted 42kg in the snatch and 52kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 94kg.

In second place was Horoshi Kogo, 80, from Japan, who lifted 86kg while Feliks Bionkowski, 81, of Poland finished third with 75kg.

“I learned discipline from my army days. I make a plan and commit to consistent training,” he said yesterday at a press conference in Komtar with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and state Youth and Sports Committee chairman Chong Eng.

“I am a pensioner so I have plenty of time to train. I sleep before 10pm and wake up at 5am.

“Then it is training from 5.30am to 9am, and another session from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.

“It is not easy but much depends on our ability to withstand stress.”

Ng retired as Warrant Officer II in the Armed Forces in 1984 after serving 25 years and won his first gold in the IWF World Masters Weightlifting Championship in 2011 in Limassol, Cyprus.

He is determined to continue competing internationally for at least two more years.

“My next immediate target is a gold medal at the Asia Pacific Masters Games in Penang next year,” he said.

Ng was among three Malaysians to return with gold medals from the Auckland games.

The others were Sunny Goh and David Ng, both 70, who were champions in the badminton men’s doubles 70+ category.

Goh said they were not expecting to win.

“Not many people still play at our age but we kept training.

“If we had lost, then it would have been just a holiday,” he said.